An Open Letter to Prof Sand

In response to your opinion post on YNet today.

Dear sir,

I think you are absolutely wrong (was about to say ‘full of shit’ but having read some of your other writings I know it is not so).

You ask if BGU is a Zionist institution? The answer is Yes and if there is one talkback you should read, it’s 147 (not mine, but same spirit).

Dr Gordon is right in claiming that Israel is turning into an apartheid state as long as the occupation is going on – he is not the first one, smarter people have said it for years. However, he is definitely wrong in calling for a ban on Israel and Israeli academia. It is a cowardly move by a person who is funded by the same institutions which he criticizes. A more noble approach would be to: a) try to change the system from within, b) resign and criticize the academia as a non-zionist citizen, or c) leave the country and do whatever the heck he wants. Now please don’t throw the conditioned ‘fascist’ response at me – I think it’s vital that we have public debates and in fact (as you can see from my opening) my political views are far from being right.

As a BGU graduate I can tell you that I strongly support Prof. Carmi – BGU is indeed a Zionist institution and carries the vision advocated by Ben Gurion. Where is the shame in that? Furthermore, every state funded Israeli university, including yours, is Zionist institution and makes great efforts to entice and encourage young academics to immigrate to Israel and strengthen it’s academic ranks – why are you so uncomfortable with that?

Introspection and criticism are the corner stones of an intelligent discussion, but they must be done with dignity and courage, which neither you or Dr Gordon demonstrate.

Sincerely,

Nadav Zin.